Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Hydrangea Singapore Flower


Hydrangeas are popular ornamental plants, grown for their large flowerheads. In many species, the flowerheads contain two types of flowers, small fertile flowers in the middle of the flowerhead, and large, sterile bract-like flowers in a ring around the edge of each flowerhead.

In most species the flowers are white, but in some specie can be blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple. The colors of some Hydrangeas flowers are affected by the relative availability of aluminum ions in the soil. Acidic soils with a pH of less than 5.5 produce blue flowers; soils with a pH greater than 5.5 product pink flowers. White flowers are not affected by pH.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Dracaena Marginata Colorama Singapore Plant


This plant's common name is Colorama Dracaena or Madagascar Dragon Tree.

The Dracaena marginata leaves are long, linear, narrow, attached to the stem without a stalk. The cultivar 'Colorama' has green leaves with red-pink stripes on the margins, midrib and either side of the midrib.The stems or trunks usually are un-branched when young, eventually branching when mature to form spreading, vase-shaped trees.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Vinca Rosea Singapore Flower


With the botanical name Catharanthus roseus, vinca rosea is also commonly called Madagascar periwinkle, rose periwinkle and cape periwinkle. Vinca rosea prefers poor, unfertile soil. Vinca rosea has a glossy, deep green, oval leaf and blooms with long-lasting, five-petal pink, lilac or white flowers.

As far back as medieval times, Vinca Rosea has been used as a charm and for love potions. Garlands were once fashioned from the flowers to protect the wearer from evil spirits, while the French came to see vinca rosea as an emblem of friendship. Today, many still believe in the spiritual power of vinca rosea.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Melastoma Singapore Flower


Also known as Himalayan Melastome, it is a genus in the family Melastomataceae. It has about 50 species distributed around Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. Many species have been planted around the world for the aesthetic value of their bright purple flowers.

Himalayan Melastome is a bristly haired shrub growing up to 5 m. Leaves are broadly lance-like with 3 prominent parallel viens, and are bristly haired beneath. Pinkish-mauve flowers, 5 cm across, occur in clusters at the end of branches. Sepals are feathery-haired and long lance-like. The flowers have 5 obovate petals. Identifying feature are the 10 stamens, 5 long curved, with purple anthers, and 5 short, with yellow anthers.
Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Yellow Canna Singapore Flower


Cannas are tropical and subtropical flowering plants with large, banana like leaves. They add an instant touch of the tropics to gardens. A surge in interest and hybridizing has resulted in a dazzling array of cannas to choose from.

Cannas are often grown from their foliage alone. The flowers come in shades and combinations of yellow, orange, red and pink and are borne on tall stalks coming out of the foliage.

Cannas grow from swollen underground stems, correctly known as rhizomes, which store starch, and this is the main attraction of the plant to agriculture, having the largest starch particles of all plant life.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Ashanti Blood Singapore Flower


Its botanical name is Mussaenda erythrophylla, also commonly known as Ashanti Blood, Red Flag Bush and Tropical Dogwood.

The bracts of the shrub may have different shades, including red, rose, white, pale pink or some mixtures. Mussaenda erythrophylla grows best in warmly temperate or subtropical areas. In its natural habitat the shrub may scramble up to 10 m. The star-like flowers of the shrub are 10 mm in diameter and have single, modified sepal.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Purple Philippine Ground Orchid


Its botanical name is Spathoglottis plicata, a species of terrestrial orchid found from tropical and subtropical Asia to the western Pacific. It is the type species of the genus Spathoglottis. It is commonly known as the Philippine Orchid, Philippine Ground Orchid, or Large Purple Orchid.

The flowers have 5, oval-shaped, pink, purple, or white tepals (2 side petals and 3 petal-like sepals) and a similarly colored, spade-shaped labellum. The flowers are followed by 6-ribbed seed capsules that split open to release the minute, dustlike seeds into the air.

The leaves are long (up to 3 feet), bright green, and pleated. They resemble palm leaves. The flowers bloom year round from the top of the plants stem (about 3 feet tall). The flowers range from white, pink, and purple. This plant can be grown in the ground or in a container. It prefers full to partial sun. This plant attracts butterflies and hummingbirds!

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Monday, April 8, 2013

Euphorbia Lactea Singapore Flower


Euphorbia lactea cristata or Elkhorn is a crested form with intricately undulating fan-shaped branches forming a snaky ridge or crowded cluster. The more common crested form is dark green attractively marked with silver-grey zigzag patterns. This plant is now available in a large number of picturesque variegated cultivars ranging in colour from white to, yellow, pink, violet and green.

As with all other Euphorbias when a plant get damaged it exudes a thick white milky sap known as latex. This latex  is poisonous and particularly dangerous for the eyes, skin and mucous membranes. So pay extreme attention not to get any in your eyes or mouth.  Cultivated plants must be handled carefully.

Where to Buy: Far East Flora
Suggested Retail Price: SGD $118 per pot

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Medinilla Singapore Flower


Medinillas bear panicles of flowers that resemble clusters of small grapes, which stand out against attractive dark green foliage. Some medinillas have showy bracts which resemble flower petals.

Medinillas are evergreen shrubs in their native habitat. The leaves contribute to the tropical look of this plant, growing up to 14 inches in length. Leaves are ribbed, and moderately succulent.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Dendrobium Orchid Singapore Flower


Dendrobium is a huge genus of orchids. Native to Southeast Asia, the genus dendrobium is one of the largest of all orchid groups. There are about 1,200 individual species, and they grow in all manner of climates.

All dendrobiums are epiphytes. During the growing season, dendrobiums like high humidity and lots of water. As with all orchids, the frequency of watering depends on your growing conditions, but at least weekly is a good idea.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Friday, April 5, 2013

Curcuma Angustifolia Singapore Flower


Curcuma angustifolia is rhizomatous herb. It is a perennial and a flowering plant, with modest and small spiked inflorescences of three or four yellow, funnel-shaped flowers within tufts of pink terminal bracts.

Of great significance to Curcuma angustifolia is its strong rhizome, which can grow to be up to 1.5 meters in length. The rhizome of this plant is the primary source of its nutritive and medicinal properties.

The rhizomes of Curcuma angustifolia can be used on the external surface of the body, as well as internally to promote healing. It can be used to heal peptic ulcers, is beneficial is treatments of dysentery, diarrhea, and colitis, and is often employed as an herbal tonic for patients suffering from tuberculosis. It is also used to sooth coughs, and as such is used to treat bronchitis.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Lotus 2 Singapore Flower


Its botanical name is Nelumbo nucifera.

The distinctive dried seed heads, which resemble the spouts of watering cans, are widely sold throughout the world for decorative purposes and for dried flower arranging.

The flowers, seeds, young leaves, and "roots" (rhizomes) are all edible. In Asia, the petals are sometimes used for garnish, while the large leaves are used as a wrap for food.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Lotus SIngapore Flower


Its botanical name is Nelumbo nucifera. Native to Tropical Asian nations and Queensland, Australia, it is commonly cultivated in water gardens. It is also the national flower of India and Vietnam.

The lotus has the remarkable ability to regulate the temperature of its flowers to within a narrow range just as humans and other warmblooded animals do.

The roots of Nelumbo nucifera are planted in the soil of the pond or river bottom, while the leaves float on top of the water surface or are held well above it. The flowers are usually found on thick stems rising several centimeters above the leaves. The plant normally grows up to a height of about 150 cm and a horizontal spread of up to 3 meters. The leaves may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the showy flowers can be up to 20 cm in diameter.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography

Monday, April 1, 2013

Buddha Belly Plant 2


Its botanical name is Jatropha podagrica. It should be noted that the fruit and sap of Jatropha podagrica are very toxic (especially to children). The plant contains the toxic curcin, making it poisonous.

The seed oil is used to reduce swellings, for pain relief and to detoxify snakebites. The stem is swollen into vasculum at the base and filled with thin sap. The plant bears bright red coral-like flowers throughout the year.

Naturally, Jatropha podagrica's fruit appear where the fertilized female flowers were located, usually at the main junctions of the flowerhead. (Remember that it is the fruit that is one of the most poisonous parts of the plant!). Fruit are three-sided, and usually contain three seeds. Mature fruit are yellow, but the immature one is bright green.

Copyright DonaldChen Photography